power converter replacement
It appears my WFCO WF-8965 converter has bit the dust. The supply puts out 13.7vdc until a load is applied, then output voltage drops to 3vdc. This is with no battery in the circuit, only on 120vac sh...
Forum Discussion
Hi Pup folks,
I just installed a WFCO 8735 35-amp Power Center in my 1979 Starcraft Starflite 6. I can’t believe it’s done! The concept of installing it, and connecting it was quite simple, but I ran into some snags mainly due to the way the pup was constructed.
The space needed to install the 8735 was ample, but it was slightly larger than the old 6-amp converter (which was not a battery charger). The paneling where the old converter was placed was very old, splintery, and brittle. The old ¾” x ¾” wooden strips that the converter was mounted to were stapled onto the paneling with MANY little staples, and it was impossible to remove them, and still preserve the paneling, so I bought a new piece of paneling at The Home Depot, and glued it onto the old one. When it dried, I cut out the rectangle for the 8735. I screwed (not stapled!) the new mounting strips from the back side of the panel, then mounted the new unit.
I connected all of the DC wires coming out the back of the converter to a 30-amp terminal strip, and from there to their appropriate locations. On the old converter’s 6-amp circuit, I connected a dome light (the original and only intent for the circuit), and 3-speed vent fan, two porch lights (one over the door, and one on the other side of the pup, and a utility light. (You can now see why I wanted a new converter.) I kept the lights on that circuit, but gave the fan its own circuit, and just installed a water pump on its own circuit. I really like this new converter. You can install up to 6 AC “tandem” circuit breakers. Right now, I only have one 30/30 tandem (30 for the main/30 for the converter), a 20-amp for my AC branch circuit, and a 15-amp, which I will dedicate its own GFCI outlet soon. The 8735 is very accommodating.
In the battery compartment, you could just connect the negative and positive from the converter to the 12-volt battery, but I got a little fancy and built a new switching panel above the shelf in the compartment, which features a 50-amp switchable circuit breaker, and some bus bars for connecting components, such as a voltmeter, a USB port, and a 12v accessory socket… all easier said than done! But, it’s done!
I just installed a WFCO 8735 35-amp Power Center in my 1979 Starcraft Starflite 6. I can’t believe it’s done! The concept of installing it, and connecting it was quite simple, but I ran into some snags mainly due to the way the pup was constructed.
The space needed to install the 8735 was ample, but it was slightly larger than the old 6-amp converter (which was not a battery charger). The paneling where the old converter was placed was very old, splintery, and brittle. The old ¾” x ¾” wooden strips that the converter was mounted to were stapled onto the paneling with MANY little staples, and it was impossible to remove them, and still preserve the paneling, so I bought a new piece of paneling at The Home Depot, and glued it onto the old one. When it dried, I cut out the rectangle for the 8735. I screwed (not stapled!) the new mounting strips from the back side of the panel, then mounted the new unit.
I connected all of the DC wires coming out the back of the converter to a 30-amp terminal strip, and from there to their appropriate locations. On the old converter’s 6-amp circuit, I connected a dome light (the original and only intent for the circuit), and 3-speed vent fan, two porch lights (one over the door, and one on the other side of the pup, and a utility light. (You can now see why I wanted a new converter.) I kept the lights on that circuit, but gave the fan its own circuit, and just installed a water pump on its own circuit. I really like this new converter. You can install up to 6 AC “tandem” circuit breakers. Right now, I only have one 30/30 tandem (30 for the main/30 for the converter), a 20-amp for my AC branch circuit, and a 15-amp, which I will dedicate its own GFCI outlet soon. The 8735 is very accommodating.
In the battery compartment, you could just connect the negative and positive from the converter to the 12-volt battery, but I got a little fancy and built a new switching panel above the shelf in the compartment, which features a 50-amp switchable circuit breaker, and some bus bars for connecting components, such as a voltmeter, a USB port, and a 12v accessory socket… all easier said than done! But, it’s done!
